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Has anyone given much this much thought? They have a used a few mercenaries, but I can't recall any mention of how they pay them.

They have a fairly good understanding of how the Imperium works, they have also taken entire Imperial worlds, so they have access to what may be a viable currency within the Imperium. They could also pay them in bits of tech, captured weapons, and other goods.

In the case of the Kroot, they let them eat the dead.

I guess they pay them in whatever they want to be paid in.

I don't think there is a standard, although I wouldn't be surprised if weapons or armor featured in the negotiations.

In rape dollars. (sorry, obscure reference) I'd imagine it's in technology, or other goods. A barter system of sorts unless the mercenaries are integrated into the Tau Empire and currency would be of value to them.

nomotog wrote:Has anyone given much this much thought? They have a used a few mercenaries, but I can't recall any mention of how they pay them.

They would have lots of options,

Money to use in Tau space
Tradable items (anything from fuel, ammunition or even wood, everything has a valueon at least one world)
Inclusion in the Tau empire

Human heads to most Human hating xenos.

With friendship and cute little encouragement stickers...
But kroot and Vespid aren't considered mercenaries for the tau, b/c they have already been incorporated into the Empire. Other races they may use as mercenaries are prob bought with what the above posters suggested, it could be anything. From technology, to trade, to protection from the Imperium.

With friendship and cute little encouragement stickers...

"Shaper Kaw'Lok, your service during this campaign has been commendable. The sacrafices of your people shall not go unoticed! GOLD STAR!!!!"

They give them full citizenship to the Tau empire, well that's the case for the kroot but the kroot aren't exactly mercenaries are they?

the Tau THINK the Kroot are completely part of the Tau Empire, but actually the Kroot just send soldiers to fight for the Tau in exchange for resources.

the Tau are completely unaware of the Kroot going and selling their guns to other races, they are unaware of just how advanced the Kroot actually are(and the Kroot deliberatly keep it that way)

And of course because the kroot have actual Psykers and real Warp Drives the Tau have no way of detecting this.

Grey Templar wrote:the Tau THINK the Kroot are completely part of the Tau Empire, but actually the Kroot just send soldiers to fight for the Tau in exchange for resources.

the Tau are completely unaware of the Kroot going and selling their guns to other races, they are unaware of just how advanced the Kroot actually are(and the Kroot deliberatly keep it that way)

And of course because the kroot have actual Psykers and real Warp Drives the Tau have no way of detecting this.

I sir call BS

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Kroot

I stand slightly corrected, the Tau suspect the Kroot have hidden production facilities somewhere on their planet but can't tell for sure.

Other then that its all true.

Urien Rakarth took 7 of every caste to help fight off a Tyranid invasion.

I guess the Tau were wracked with guilt over that one.

I see what you did there

Grey Templar wrote:http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Kroot

I stand slightly corrected, the Tau suspect the Kroot have hidden production facilities somewhere on their planet but can't tell for sure.

Other then that its all true.

Ahh I see. Ya I just get most of my 40k cannon from the codex or books, sometimes I forget to check the simplest of places. But makes sense, their is a lot about the tau fluff in general that could go "either way," due to vagueness and mysteriousness. Are the Vespid helmets mind control? Is farsight corrupted by chaos? Is there something sinister in the empire? It makes it really nice for choosing to look at them however you like

Payment is negotiable, I'd guess... Do the mercs want guns? Armor? Ammunition or other consumables? Or something else, like the right to open recruiting stations on Tau Empire worlds? The Tau seem able to think of almost everything as an opportunity, after all - if the mercs get tech they'll need replacements and spare parts, if they get some sort of status they'll want to keep it and so on.

Protection, food, weapons, resources, money, vehicles... I guess it would depend on what they needed at the time.

I am not aware of Tau using mercenaries. Only documented case is in a BL novel where a human kill team is paid in money, but that storyline is a bit odd.

Kroot, while in principle mercenaries, don't fight as mercenaries in the Tau army but defend or fight for the Tau Empire out of "loyalty" for being saved from extinction. They will get their share of genetic reward though. The Kroot Mercenary list is explicitely only for non-Tau allies. So most soldiers in the Tau Empire are regular soldiers, not mercenaries.

That's what I was saying. But those neo-space squats are an exception, they are mercenaries for the tau arn't they?

Not quite. You're thinking of Demiurgs and if I recall correctly several of their organized brotherhoods joined the Tau Empire.

The kroot are the Tau's most numerous alien allies. Natives of the jungle world of Pech, which lies within the Tau Empire, the Kroot commonly serve alongside the Tau Hunter Cadres. The details of this arrangement are unknown, but seem to stem from a time when Tau forces liberated several Kroot enclaves from Ork dominiation. The Kroot have been happy to serve the Tau as mercenaries ever since.

Page 72, IA3:Taros Campaign

Mercenary, noun: A professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army.

Now in my opinion the Kroot can happily serve under Tau because of their loyalty to the Tau for protecting them and still get something from it. Even if it's protection from Orks, or recourses for their planet that's still doing something for material reward. They just may be obligated to accept the terms of the arrangement because of past actions of the Tau.